


Brave Little Duck

by Strawberry_Champagne



Category: The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Comment Fic, Community: comment_fic, Gen, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-01
Updated: 2014-10-01
Packaged: 2018-02-19 11:02:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2386004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Strawberry_Champagne/pseuds/Strawberry_Champagne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On the day of the Reaping for the 74th Hunger Games, a terrible sickness has swept through District 12.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Brave Little Duck

Katniss couldn't remember the last time that she had felt this sick. With a diet supplemented by hunting with Gale outside the fence, plus the extra food and medicine that she could get through trading at the Hob, she and her family were healthier than most – but this time, it wasn't enough. It seemed like half the District had contracted the sickness, lying delirious with fevers and body aches that stretched on for days. Her mother and Prim were run ragged with tending to them all. 

The Capitol, unsurprisingly, was not sympathetic. On the morning of the Reaping, every eligible youth was required to gather in the square, even if they needed to be carried there. Katniss shrugged Gale off as he attempted to hold her steady, ignoring the tremor in her step as she approached the stage with the others. Sweat beaded on her brow, and she wiped it away absently with the back of her hand.

On the stage, nauseatingly cheerful images of the Capitol and previous Games flashed across the giant screen that they had brought in.

“Welcome,” said Effie Trinket, brilliant smile plastered across her face, “to the 74th annual Hunger Games! May the odds be ever in your favor.”

Katniss thought that she might vomit. She really did not want to vomit.

“My,” Effie continued briskly, “how exciting. What an honor it is to represent your District in these Games.”

She scanned the crowd, still smiling – did that smile falter, just a little, when she took in the cots and pale faces scattered throughout the crowd? As quickly as it had slipped, it was back in place, just as bright.

“Let us begin. As always, ladies first!”

Effie's fingers swirled through the slips of paper that represented the lives of District 12's children. Plucking one out and holding it delicately in both hands, she spoke crisply into the microphone.

“Katniss Everdeen.”

The name hung over the crowd for several long moments, as if they were too afraid to even murmur. Katniss's heart sunk to the pit of her stomach.

“Katniss? Where are you, dear? Please come forward.”

She felt Gale's presence beside her again, his hand falling on her shoulder, face grim. This was it. She would fight, even with no chance of success. She had no other choice. Sweat trickled down the side of her face – she stumbled toward the stage, noting absently that people had cleared out around her. A Peacekeeper from the Capitol approached, as if to prevent her from running. As if she even had the energy.

“Wait,” a small voice called out from the other side of the crowd, where the younger children were assembled. “She can't go. She's too sick.”

Up on stage, Effie looked around, bewildered. “I beg your pardon? Who said that?”

“Primrose Everdeen,” she said, and then Katniss saw her, chin up, pigtails coming loose, shirt-tails untucked. “I'm her sister.”

Effie Trinket's powdered brow wrinkled, as much as it was able. “I'm sorry, dear. Capitol law demands that whoever is selected for the Hunger Games _must_ participate. Don't you worry, though. We have _excellent_ medicine and she will get plenty of rest before she goes into the arena. Well. She will have to train, of course, and there are the media appearances...”

“She _can't_ ,” Prim repeated, a little softer, more broken. Katniss swallowed against a lump in her throat. 

“Well, someone has to. “ Effie waved a hand in the air, clearly becoming impatient. She scanned the crowd again, opening her mouth to speak again.

“I'll go, then,” said a voice so quiet, it only carried over the crowd because there was no other noise.

“Beg pardon?”

“I'll go in her place.”

Katniss surged forward and Gale let her go, stumbling through a sea of shocked and bewildered people. Her breath came quick and labored, darkness gathering in her peripheral vision.

_No._

“My, this is very unusual. A volunteer? How extraordinary. Come forward, dear.”

_NO._

They pulled her onto stage and she reached around to tuck in her tails like an afterthought. All eyes were on Prim, with Effie's smile as blinding as the sun.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have District 12's very first volunteer! And what a touching story...”

Prim was almost within Katniss's reach – she could still stop this. She could tell at this distance that her sister was trembling, just a little. She had to be terrified.

And then Katniss's vision was filled with the Peacekeepers' white armor, looping their arms around hers, pulling her back violently. After that, the darkness rushed in.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on September 30, 2014 in the Livejournal community comment_fic  
> Prompted By: evil_little_dog  
> Prompt: The Hunger Games, Prim+Any, Prim volunteers for Katniss


End file.
